Leftover Turkey Recipes
Staring at a fridge full of turkey? These Leftover Turkey Recipes will get you through the week without eating the same meal four days in a row.
Leftover Turkey Recipes
Here is the part most roundups skip. You don't need a recipe with "turkey" in the title. Turkey and chicken cook and taste a lot alike, so most of the chicken recipes here work with leftover turkey, too. They also work with a store-bought rotisserie chicken too, which makes this list useful all year, not just the week after Thanksgiving.
Every year it goes the same way at our house. By Friday afternoon the fridge is full of turkey, and by Saturday we've all eaten Thanksgiving dinner 3-4 times. By Sunday I'm trying to think of anything else to make with it.
Every recipe below has a short note on how to swap in turkey. If you're still planning the bird itself, my Traeger Smoked Turkey is a good place to start.
Why You'll Love These Recipes
- Works With Turkey Or Chicken: Every recipe takes cooked turkey or rotisserie chicken, so you can use this list any week of the year.
- Fewer Turkey Sandwiches: Soups, casseroles, tacos, and pasta give you real variety.
- Quick Dinners: The meat is already cooked, which cuts a lot of the prep.
- Something For Every Craving: Cozy soups, cheesy bakes, handhelds, and a few game day options.
- Recipes From My Kitchen: Every recipe here is one we've made and shared on the site.
How To Use Leftover Turkey In These Recipes
A few simple rules make the swap easy.
- Swap By Amount: Use the same amount of chopped or shredded turkey as the chicken in the recipe. One pound of cooked meat is about 3 cups chopped.
- Add It Late: The turkey is already cooked, so stir it into soups and sauces at the end. This keeps it from drying out.
- Skip The Chicken Cooking Step: If a recipe starts by searing or poaching raw chicken, skip that step and add the cooked meat to the sauce or filling.
- Add Some Moisture: A splash of broth, gravy, or cream sauce brings dry turkey back to life.
- Mix Light And Dark Meat: Dark meat stays juicier, so use some of both if you have it.
- Rotisserie Chicken Works The Same Way: Pull the meat off the bones, skip the skin, and use it just like turkey.
Featured Recipe
Turkey Cranberry Sliders
These slides are my newest leftover turkey recipe, and already one of my favorites. Plus, they are SO simple!
Get the recipe: Turkey Cranberry Sliders
Leftover Turkey Soups And Chili
1. Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup
This is the one to make if you still have the carcass. You simmer the bones into a stock, cut homemade egg noodles, and stir in wild rice and 3 to 4 cups of chopped turkey at the end. It takes a few hours, but most of that time is the pot doing the work.
Turkey swap: No swap needed. If you skip the carcass, store-bought broth and rotisserie chicken still work, but the homemade stock is what makes this one special.
Get the recipe: Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup
2. Smoked Chicken Pot Pie Soup
All the flavor of pot pie in a bowl, with no crust to roll out. It's a good pick when you want something warm and don't want to turn on the oven.
Turkey swap: Use the same amount of chopped turkey as the smoked chicken, and stir it in at the end.
Get the recipe: Smoked Chicken Pot Pie Soup
3. Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup
A brothy tortilla soup you can top with whatever is in the fridge. Tortilla strips, avocado, and cheese all fit.
Turkey swap: Cooked turkey works the same way as the smoked chicken. Add it near the end so it just warms through.
Get the recipe: Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup
4. Chicken Wild Rice Soup
A creamy mushroom and wild rice soup. Turkey and wild rice go together like they were made for the same dinner table.
Turkey swap: Replace the chicken with chopped turkey and add it at the end of cooking.
Get the recipe: Chicken Wild Rice Soup
5. Smoked Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
A lighter soup for after a heavy holiday weekend. The lemon wakes up turkey that has gone a little flat in the fridge.
Turkey swap: Use chopped turkey in place of the smoked chicken. Stir it in once the orzo is cooked.
Get the recipe: Smoked Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
6. Smoked White Chicken Chili
White chili is very forgiving, which makes it a great home for leftover turkey. Set out a few toppings and let everyone build their own bowl.
Turkey swap: Shred the turkey and use it in place of the chicken. It only needs to heat through.
Get the recipe: Smoked White Chicken Chili
Leftover Turkey Casseroles And Pot Pies
7. Traeger Chicken Pot Pie
A double crust pot pie with a sherry cream sauce, baked on the pellet grill. The recipe starts by cooking 1 pound of cubed chicken breast in the pan.
Turkey swap: Skip the chicken cooking step, make the sauce in the pan, then fold in about 1 pound of cubed cooked turkey before you fill the crust.
Get the recipe: Traeger Chicken Pot Pie
8. Traeger Cheesy Chicken Casserole
A cheesy casserole that makes good use of cooked meat. It's an easy one to prep ahead and bake when you're ready.
Turkey swap: Use the same amount of cooked turkey in place of the chicken.
Get the recipe: Traeger Cheesy Chicken Casserole
9. Traeger Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
A creamy chicken and wild rice casserole. It uses the same turkey and wild rice pairing as the soup above, just baked.
Turkey swap: Replace the chicken with chopped cooked turkey.
Get the recipe: Traeger Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
10. Chicken Alfredo Bake
Pasta, Alfredo sauce, and a layer of melted cheese. It's a good way to use up turkey, especially if everyone at the table is done with turkey and mashed potatoes.
Turkey swap: Use cooked turkey in place of the chicken, and skip any step that cooks the chicken first.
Get the recipe: Chicken Alfredo Bake
11. Easy Traeger Broccoli Chicken Divan
Turkey divan is a classic leftover dish, and this chicken version is built the same way: poultry, broccoli, and a creamy sauce on top.
Turkey swap: Layer chopped turkey where the chicken goes.
Get the recipe: Easy Traeger Broccoli Chicken Divan
Tacos, Enchiladas, And Handhelds
12. Verde Chicken Enchiladas
Roll shredded turkey into tortillas, cover them with verde sauce and cheese, and bake. Cranberry sauce is not invited.
Turkey swap: Shred the turkey and use it as the filling in place of the chicken.
Get the recipe: Verde Chicken Enchiladas
13. Chicken Bacon Ranch Hot Pockets
Chicken, bacon, and ranch tucked into a pocket you can eat with one hand. They're good for packed lunches.
Turkey swap: Chop the turkey fine and use it in the filling in place of the chicken.
Get the recipe: Chicken Bacon Ranch Hot Pockets
14. Smoked Chicken Salad Sandwich
Turkey salad is just chicken salad with better timing. It's the sandwich you will actually want to eat on day three.
Turkey swap: Chop the turkey fine and mix it up the same way as the chicken.
Get the recipe: Smoked Chicken Salad Sandwich
15. Greek Chicken Pita Pockets
A lighter handheld with Greek flavors. Turkey slices easily into strips that are ideal for stuffing pitas.
Turkey swap: Cut the turkey into thin strips and use it in place of the chicken.
Get the recipe: Greek Chicken Pita Pockets
16. Smoked Chicken Tacos
Shredded turkey makes good tacos, especially if the breast meat is a little dry. A squeeze of lime and a spoonful of salsa fix a lot.
Turkey swap: Shred the turkey and warm it with a splash of broth before filling the tortillas.
Get the recipe: Smoked Chicken Tacos
Pasta, Rice, And Game Day
17. Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Cold pasta salad with Caesar flavors. It's made for lunch boxes and for the days when you don't want to heat anything up.
Turkey swap: Toss in chopped turkey in place of the chicken.
Get the recipe: Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
18. Buffalo Chicken Mac And Cheese
Mac and cheese with a Buffalo kick. Turkey picks up hot sauce just as well as chicken does.
Turkey swap: Use shredded turkey in place of the chicken.
Get the recipe: Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
19. Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip
Finely shredded turkey works in this dip just like chicken. It's a good one to bring along for football Sunday after the holiday.
Turkey swap: Shred the turkey as fine as you can so it blends into the dip.
Get the recipe: Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip
20. Blackstone Chicken Fried Rice
Takeout style fried rice made on the griddle. Day-old rice works best, and leftover turkey goes in like the chicken would.
Turkey swap: Add the chopped turkey near the end so it just heats through.
Get the recipe: Blackstone Chicken Fried Rice
How To Store Leftover Turkey
Get the turkey into the fridge within 2 hours of serving. Store it in airtight containers and plan to use it within 3 to 4 days. If you won't get to it by then, freeze it. When you reheat leftovers, bring them to 165°F.
Leftover Turkey FAQ
Cooked turkey keeps for 3 to 4 days in the fridge when stored in airtight containers. If you won't use it in that time, freeze it.
Yes. Freeze it in portions that match what you'll use in a recipe, like 2 or 3 cups. Thaw it in the fridge before using it in any of the recipes above.
In most recipes, yes. Use the same amount of cooked turkey as the chicken, and add it late so it stays moist.
Yes. Pull the meat off the bones, skip the skin, and use it the same way as leftover turkey. A typical rotisserie chicken gives you about 3 to 4 cups of meat.
Add moisture and use gentle heat. A splash of broth or gravy and a covered pan work well, and so does adding the turkey at the end of a soup or sauce instead of simmering it.
Make stock. Simmer the carcass with onion, carrots, and celery, then strain it. The stock makes a great base for the turkey noodle soup at the top of this list.
